All cases of SHL visited in our hospital have been treated by the SGB since 1989 with the treatment of steroid, vitamins, vasodilatators and oxygenation. The authors investigated the effectiveness of SGB (SGB group: 112 cases in 1989-1993) compared with medical treatment (Control group: 28 cases in 1988-1989), and analyzed the prognostic indicators related to recovery.
According to the recovery criteria decided by the official committee of SHL in Japan, all evaluated data were calculated for the complete recovery rate (cases of cure or complete return to <20dB in all tested frequencies-(1)), the recovery rate ((1) and cases of remarcable return to average pure tone score of >30dB-(2)), the effective rate ((2) and cases of return to average pure tone score of >10dB) and ineffective rate.
The complete recovery rate was 18.7% in SGB group, 10.7% in control group, the recovery rate was 60.7% (SGB), 50.0% (control) and the effective rate was 83.9% (SGB), 64.2% (control). The significant difference was found between two groups in the effective rate (p<0.05).
Poorer prognosis on the recovery rate were found in the groups of high age, downsloping type or profound type of audiogram, delayed initiation of therapies and vertigo.
On the other hand, SGB group had higher effective rate in such poorer prognostic groups and 61% of cases in ineffective group showed the improvement of subjective symptoms.
The conclusion in this study is that SGB is thought to be a useful therapy for SHL, as it may increase the blood supply to the cochlear.